Improvement in fire-escapes



A"UNITEIJ STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT R. HOUGHTON, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. [83,568, dated October 24, 1876; application filed October 2, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HERBERT R.' BOUGE- ToN, ot' the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is aspeciiication:

The nature of this invention consistsin constructing a tire-escape capable of being rolled up in the smallest possible compass, so that the saine may be carried conveniently hy travelers, the construction and operation being described as follows:

Figure l represents a sectional view of a building, showing my invention as applied. Fig. 2 is a detail view, showing connection of cross-pieces. Fig. 3 is a detached view of cross-piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

ln the case here presented, A represents a wire-rope, having' any desired number of strands to give it requisite strength, the said wire to be either plain or galvanized. At a distance ot' about ten feet from one end ofthe said wire-rope it is bent over so as to form a loop, B, in which the spring-hook C is held. The said loop is covered with leather or other suitable wrapping to prevent chating. The end forming the loop is securely lashed with wire, as shown at D D. E E represent a series ot' cross-bars or rests, situated at intervals ot' eighteen inches, more or less. These cross-bars are made of round iron, having a portion of' their surface flattened near their centers, on one or both sides. The said crossbars are inserted evenly through the strands of the rope, and are then securely fastened in place with wire lashing F.

The above-described invention can be gotten ready for use in a moments time. as all that is necessary is to screw the eye G into the wood-work or flooring ot' the room, connect the snap-hook C thereto, then lower the escape out of the window. For convenience of getting out ofthe window, I have a loose end, H, formed by the extension end ot' loop, as shown in the drawing. I propose having this loose end about ten feet in length, and the whole length of tire-escape to range from t'ty to one hundred feet.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A portable fire-escape, consisting of a wirerope having a series ot' cross-bars or rests interlaced and lashed thereto, the said rope having a loop formed at its upper. end, with an extension end, H,for convenience of escape upon the main rope, the whole being suspended by a snap-hook caught in an eye, which is screwed to the wood-work or floor of a room, substantially as shown and described.

HERBERT R. HOUGHTON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. NASH, C. SEDGWIGK. 

